A retired police inspector has been arrested after stolen vehicles and number plates were recovered in his compound in Bureti, Kericho County.
Ben Kipyegon Cheruiyot’s compound was raided by a joint operation between criminal investigation officers from Keroka in Kisii County and Bureti, Kericho County, has unveiled a car theft syndicate and seen two stolen vehicles recovered.
The officers, who were working on a tip-off, found 20 vehicle registration plates in the compound.
Bureti OCS Bernard Ouma said that, after investigations, police broke into Cheruyiot’s highly protected home and found several registration number plates in a garage.
They also found a vehicle which was reportedly stolen on Friday in Keroka. It had been fixed with a fake number plate.
He said the car was allegedly stolen two days ago in Kisii and driven all the way to Litein right to Cheruyiot’s home for dismantling and subsequent change of number plates.
He said another vehicle was also found in the compound, which is believed to have had its registration plates changed and taken away.
Ouma said the car theft syndicate is suspected to have been carrying out its operations for long.
The OCS said that two suspects that are part of the syndicate, Simon Aboki and Edwin Chepkwony, are being sought by police.
Curious residents thronged the home to have a glimpse of what was going on the highly secured compound.
The home has a big mansion, two garages, and a store where several cars parts were found in one of the garages.
Cheruiyot denied knowledge of the of the car theft syndicate.
“I only charge Sh400 per day for storage and custody of the cars on repair and do not know anything about stolen cars,” he said.